Sash balance and lock.



PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

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Ul Hi SASH BALANCE AND LUCK. APPLIO ATION FILED JULY 2, 1908- INVENTOR,

A TTORNE 1 5 UNITED STATES ULYSSES H. HILL, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

SASH BALANCE AND LOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

Application filed July 2,1906. Serial No. 324,431.

To all whom it may concern:

? Be it known that I, ULYSSES H. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Worth, in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Sash Balance and Lock, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a window hanger and lock of that type in which the sashes are provided with automatic means for supporting them in any open position without employing the usual counterbalance weights. I

The invention has for one of its objects to simplify and improve the construction and operation of this class of devices, by the employment of a self locking device arranged between each sash and the window frame that is readily unlocked by a mere upward or lifting pressure on the sash.

A further object is to provide an efficient and satisfactory sash lock comprising guide members disposed along the vertical edges of the sash and brackets on the window frame having a locking member adapted to frictionally engage the guide members so as to assist in bearing the weight of the sash during the raising and lowering of the same.

With these objects in view, and others, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one of the embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of a window with the balancing and locking mechanism applied thereto and showing one of the sashes locked in open position. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the locking devices. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the locking devices with the parts thereof in the position they occupy when the sash is moving. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of a corner of the sash. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a locking nut viewed from underneath.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference. Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a window frame and 2 the sashes thereof, the frame and sashes being of any approved construction. The vertical edges of the sashes are provided with longitudinal grooves 3 extending the full height of the same. In each of the grooves 3 is arranged the guide or locking member 4 which preferably takes the form of two pieces of wire twisted uniformly together by means of a twist of relatively coarse pitch. The ends of the wires of the members are spread apart at right angles to the axes thereof, the extremities 5 thus formed being countersunk, or embedded, in the top and bottom surfaces of the sashes and secured by means of staples 6.

By this construction it will be seen that the members 4 are entirely concealed so as not to detract from the appearance of the window.

Cooperating with each of the members 4 is a locking nut 7 which is provided with a central slot 8 formed by two connected circular openings, making an 8- shaped slot conforming to the cross section of the member 4. The locking nuts '7 are held in fixed position relative to the vertical movement of the "sashes by means of brackets 9 arranged in pairs at the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the bottom and top sashes when the latter are in their closed position.

Each bracket preferably comprises a strip of metal 10 having screw receiving perforations 11 at its ends and bent laterally at a central point to form a U-shaped housing 12 in which a locking nut 7 is arranged the distance between the parallel portions 13 being such as to permit of a slight vertical movement of the locking nut for a purpose to appear hereinafter. The base portions '14 ofthe bracket are presented to the window frame and the brackets are secured to the latter by the tacks 14, or equivalent devices. The U-shaped portion 12 of the bracket is arranged to extend into a vertical groove 3 of the adjacent sash, and the parallel portions 13 are provided with registering openings 15 for receiving the member 4. While the locking nut of each bracket is held relatively stationary with respect to the sash, it is permitted to freely rot-ate during the raising and lowering of the sash. There is sufficient friction between each of the members 4 and its respective locking nut, so

that in raising and lowering the sashes, the entire weight of the latter is not required to be sustained by the person opening or closing the window.

To support a sash in any open position, any simple means for holding the locking nuts from rotating may be employed, the holding of the nuts stationary preventing the sash from moving or slipping down under its own weight by reason of the twist in the members 4. For holding the nuts stationary, each is provided with a depending pin or projection 16 that is of a length slightly less than the total clearance between the nut and the portions 13 of the bracket. The lower one of the portions 13 of each bracket is provided with an opening 18, or equivalent means, in which the pin or projection 16 is adapted to interlock, thereby preventing the nut from rotating.

When the pins 16 of the locking nuts are engaged in their respective, openings 18, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the sash or sashes are locked in fixed position. In case it is desired to open a sash, the mere upward pressure for lifting the sash is sufficient to disengage the pins of the locking nuts from the openings in the brackets and the nuts will assume the position shown in Fig. 3 by reason of the frictional engagement between the twists or convolutions of the members i and the 8-shaped slots of the locking nuts. This frictional engagement is sufl'icient to maintain the locking nuts in their raised position, so that during thelifting of the sash the pins of the locking nuts will not engage their respective openings on the brackets. Inorder to lower either of the sashes, it is first necessary to raise the sash a slight distanee so as to disengage the pins of the locking nuts from their openings and then lower thesash by a sud den movement, thus giving the pins no chance to seat in their respective openings in the brackets. By slowing up at the end of the lowering movement, the pins will have a chance to interlock in their openings and thereby hold the sash in a fixed position.

I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that various changes may be made, when desired, as are within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:--

1. The combination of a window sash and frame, with a locking device arranged between one edge of the sash and the frame and entirely concealed from view, said device comprising a screw member of a length equal to the range of movement of the sash, a nut engaging the melnber to receive rotation therefrom, and a locking means for the nut which is unlocked by a slight. initial movement oi the sash.

2. The combination of a window sash and frame, with a device for automatically locking the sash in lixed position, said device comprising two twisted wires extending from the top to the bottom of the sash, a locking nut having an 8-shaped slot through which the twisted wires pass to rotate the same, and means supported on the window frame for preventing the nut from rotating to hold the sash stationary and arranged to be released by a slight upward movement of the sash.

3. The combination with a window frame, and a sash having a longitudinal groove along the cc ge thereof, of a member extending along and concealed from view in the groove, means at the ends of the member for securing it to the sash, a bracket supported on the window frame in a position to be permanently concealed by the sash and pro-. vided with a perforated portion disposed in the groove of the latter through the perforation of which the said member passes, and a locking member mounted on the bracket in cooperative relation with the first member for preventing relative longitudinal movement of the members and released by a slight initial movement of the'sash.

4. The combination of a window frame, and a sash having a longitudinal groove along one edge thereof, with a device for automatically locking the sash in a given position, said device comprising" two twisted wires arranged in the groove of the sash and having their ends turned laterally. means for securing the laterally extended ends of the wires to the top and bottom portions of the sash, a support on the frame having a laterally extending portion projecting into the groove of the sash. a nut mounted on the laterally extending portion of the bracket relatively stationary with respect to the move ment of the sash for cooperating with the twisted wires. and a locking means between the bracket and nut.

In a device of the class described, the combination of a longitudinally movable member, a bracket for guiding the member, a second member mounted on the bracket with a slight clearance for permitting a limited axial movement of the nut, and a means for locking the nut on the bracket depending upon the axial movement of the nut.

G. In a device of the class described, the combination of a longitudinally movable member, a nut frictionally engaging the same and receiving rotation therefrom, a bracket having a perforated U-shaped portion for receiving the nut and permitting the member to pass therethrough, and a pin and opening connection between the nut and U-shaped portion of the bracket.

In testimony that claim the foregoing as my own, i have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. 4

ULYSSES H. HILL.

Witnesses Bnnxo LOEKOWSKI, A. L. JACKSON. 

